" Rongelap radiation seriously underestimated " etc.

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@aecl.ca>]

..from the PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT :

http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/PIReport/2000/April/04-18-10.htm
RONGELAP RADIATION SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATED
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (March 31, 2000 - Marshall Islands Journal)---A
scientist working for the Marshall Islands has reported that U.S. Brookhaven
National Laboratory scientists and doctors seriously underestimated the
radiation dose that the people of Rongelap received from the Bravo hydrogen
bomb test on March 1, 1954.
The dose established by Brookhaven in 1954--which is being called into
question by Nuclear Claims Tribunal consultant Dr. Hans Behling--has been
the baseline assumption utilized for all studies, medical follow-up and
evaluation of the status of the Rongelap community.
The discovery was put to top U.S. Department of Energy officials in
Washington for a response last week during the visit by a large delegation
of RMI officials.
Meanwhile, the RMI government posted a small item about the finding on its
Internet website.
"As part of an ongoing review of recently declassified documents and
information pertaining to the U.S. nuclear testing program conducted in the
Marshall Islands, major discrepancies have been discovered pertaining to
radiation dose estimates previously cited with regard to population groups
exposed to Bravo shot, March 1, 1954," the website reported.
"Under contract to the Public Advocate of the Nuclear Claims Tribunal, S.
Cohen & Associates, Inc. have identified errors in dose estimates published
by Brookhaven National Laboratories regarding external whole body exposures
and thyroid doses.
"Preliminary data suggest that whole body doses associated with Bravo are a
factor of two higher and thyroid doses may be up to 10- to 20-fold higher
than estimates previously published in the scientific literature.
"A full disclosure of these findings are currently being prepared in a
comprehensive report that will be made publicly available within weeks."
RMI NUCLEAR MEETING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (March 31, 2000 - Marshall Islands
Journal)---Marshall Islands officials report "significant progress" on
nuclear-related issues from a meeting hosted in Washington by the Department
of Interior last Thursday.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Clinton
Administration, Congressional staff and RMI national and local governments
to discuss "gaps" in the U.S. Department of Energy's environmental and
health programs in the RMI.
At the request of Minister Alvin Jacklick, who headed the RMI delegation,
the talks focused on following up points in a joint communiqué from last
October's meeting that had pointed out people and places that have "fallen
through the cracks" in programs because the RMI doesn't have access to a
variety of medical and environmental monitoring support.
Foreign Affairs reports that in light of the RMI needs, "U.S. Congressional
staff in dialogue with DOE, DOE and Department of State officials suggested
three specific initiatives to address certain concerns of the RMI
government:
? Congressional staff responded to serious shortcomings in medical care for
nuclear affected communities by suggesting a look at possible legislative
solutions. DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary Paul Seligman said during the
meeting that lack of adequate care for individuals affected by the testing
is "unconscionable."
The RMI delegation welcomed the opportunity to finally move beyond the
extremely narrow scope of the current medical program mandated by Congress
and introduce legislation that better reflects the actual health care needs
of the RMI.
? U.S. officials voiced support for consideration of the establishment of an
Utrik Atoll trust fund modeled in part on the trust funds that support
self-determination and sustainability at Bikini and Rongelap.
The RMI delegation was delighted with the cooperation evident at the
meeting, and "the articulation of real solutions" which made the meeting one
of the most successful meetings between the RMI and the U.S. on nuclear
issues.
"The RMI would like to see all future meetings on these issues conducted
along the same format with the DOI hosting the meeting, broad-based
involvement of other relevant federal agencies, and Congressional
participation," the RMI said.
DOI's Deputy Director Sandra King and U.S. Ambassador Joan Plaisted were
also at the meeting. From the RMI, the delegation included Foreign Secretary
Marie Maddison, Senators Hiroshi Yamamura, Abacca Anjain-Maddison, Henchi
Balos, Ishmael John and Maynard Alfred, Mayors Joe Saul and Neptali Peter,
and Ambassador Banny deBrum. Other local council members and government
staff also were there.
The Marshall Islands Journal, Box 14, Majuro, Marshall Islands 96960
E-mail: journal@ntamar.com 

http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/PIReport/2000/April/04-18-11.htm
U.S. SENATOR DOMENICI: UNFAIR TO NEGLECT NUCLEAR CLAIMS IN MARSHALL ISLANDS
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (March 24, 2000 - Marshall Islands Journal)---In
what should be welcome news for RMI officials attempting to get the U.S.
Congress to provide adequate nuclear compensation, U.S. Senator Pete
Domenici (R-New Mexico) last week asked for an extra $7.25 million in the FY
2000 supplemental budget to cover payments to American citizens with
approved nuclear claims.
"I do not think it is fair for approved claims to be neglected," he said.
"My concern is that the uranium miners and family members who are filing
these claims have been through a long, arduous process and ought not to
finally have a claim approved only to be told by the Department of Justice
that it cannot be paid because the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust
Fund has run out of money."
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) is a 1990 law written by
Domenici. Since the RECA trust fund began making awards in 1992, the Justice
Department has approved a total of 3,135 claims valued at close to $232
million.
In the Marshalls, more than 1,600 claims have been approved, but no
claimants have received more than 63 percent of their total awards because
the number of awards before the Nuclear Claim Trust has exhausted the fund.
Marshalls officials have been meeting in Washington, D.C. to map out
strategies for petitioning the Congress to re-open the nuclear compensation
issue.

http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/PIReport/2000/April/04-17-04.htm
RONGELAP TO CONTINUE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (March 24, 2000 - Marshall Islands Journal)---The
Interior Department has agreed to extend a current agreement with Rongelap
Atoll Local Government to manage the atoll's resettlement program for an
additional 10 years, Mayor James Matayoshi said in a release this week.
The resettlement pact approved by the U.S. and RMI governments along with
Rongelap in 1996 gave RALG responsibility to manage the U.S.-funded
resettlement program on a five-year trial basis to see if the local
government could do the job.
"The U.S. decision to extend the current administration of resettlement by
RALG for an additional 10 years is a strong endorsement of RALG's success,"
said Matayoshi.
"This shows that Congress and the Secretary of the Interior have confidence
in RALG to manage the resettlement program effectively and economically.
Congress and DOI have concluded that RALG has its act together."
Matayoshi added that, "We are efficient, competent and our operations are
transparent."
Rongelap's mayor said that DOI's decision also is a success for the RMI
government, which has supported the process.
Matayoshi praised the RMI Washington Embassy staff, particularly Ambassador
Banny deBrum, calling him Rongelap's "good friend."
Senator Abacca Anjain Maddison, who was in Washington this week with
Matayoshi, said she appreciates RALG's success and thanked the U.S. for its
ongoing support.


....and Enewetak atoll remediation ( note demand for 15 mrem remediation
standard ) :

http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/PIReport/2000/April/04-18-19.htm
<SNIP>
B. Establishment of Radiation Standard for Restoration.
The Tribunal considered the issue of radiation protection standards for
application in clean up and restoration of lands contaminated by the Nuclear
Testing Program in a special proceeding which consolidated the various class
action claims for damage to property. The Tribunal accepted the position of
the IAEA[46] that
As a basic principle, policies and criteria for radiation protection of
populations outside national borders from releases of radioactive substances
should be at least as stringent as those for the population within the
country of release.[47]
Under this reasoning, the Tribunal adopted the current standards[48] of the
U.S. that would apply to Enewetak, were it within the United States. Those
standards, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are
described in an EPA document entitled "Establishment of Cleanup Levels for
CERCLA Sites with Radioactive Contamination," wherein it is stated:
Cleanup should generally achieve a level of risk with the 10-4 to 10-6
carcinogenic risk range based on the reasonable maximum exposure for an
individual. . . .
If a dose assessment is conducted at the site (footnote omitted) then 15
millirem per year (mrem/yr) effective dose equivalent (EDE) should generally
be the maximum dose limit for humans.[49]
This standard addresses the additional risk created by the contamination, so
the 15 millirem level is over and above existing background levels of
radiation.
C. Application of Standard.
The parties introduced evidence relating to whether this 15 mrem standard is
currently exceeded in Enewetak. The expert testimony[50] of both sides was
in agreement that the major pathway or source of radiation exposure to
residents of Enewetak would be ingestion of locally grown foods. This
pathway is of particular significance in Enewetak because the soil of the
atoll allows a relatively high uptake of certain radionuclides by local
plants. Both sides agreed that the primary radionuclide of concern was
Cesium 137. Application of U.S. standard computer analysis provided that a
concentration of cesium in the soil between .32 and .35 picocuries/cubic
gram (including background) would result in an annual effective dose
equivalent of 15 millirem assuming a local only diet.. The Tribunal believes
a local diet is an appropriate assumption for this determination. While the
Tribunal recognizes that it may not be likely that the entire population
will adhere to a local food only diet, even if available, the Tribunal
accepts the EPA reasoning that protection should be extended not just to the
average member of the community, but to those who could be characterized as
having "high end risk." This concept is captured by the "reasonably
maximally exposed individual."[51] 
This concentration is the target for any clean-up effort. The parties are in
relatively close agreement on this issue. Assuming a local diet, SCA found a
cesium concentration of .247 to .274 pCi/g (depending on the methodology
utilized for determination of exposure) above background[52] would result in
an exposure of 15 mrem/year to the reasonably maximally exposed individual.
With background added in, that would amount to a range between .327 and .354
pCi/g. Envirpro determined a concentration of .35 pCi/g would lead to an
exposure of 15 mrem/yr based upon a local food only diet. The parties
developed their remediation scenarios utilizing this concentration target.
<SNIP>

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